Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a forceps jaw assembly for a surgical instrument and in particular to a push-to-close actuated, dual-action, spaced pivot, assembly for jaws, blades, and forceps devices specifically structured for use with a push rod, cable, or solid wire forceps actuator and adapted for a wide variety of types of jaws including, but not limited to any type of grasping, cutting, clamping, holding, positioning, biopsying, and other types of jaws for surgical use; the instrument comprising a pair of interacting moving jaws for a dual jaw movement interacting jaw structure, each jaw having a unique structure configured for actuation by a pushing force against the two separate jaws on two spaced pivot fulcrum points, one for each jaw, on opposite sides of the centerline of a jaw retaining body, the two pivot points being at the furthest point possible away from each other while still maintaining a strong structure, so that the push drive force is applied by a jaw control yoke having opposing distal arms, one for each jaw, with a pushing head for each jaw to push a protruding hip having drive force point on the direct opposite side of the centerline from the fulcrum to close the jaws together, and by positioning the pivot point fulcrum and drive force point as far away from each other as the structure allows, the maximum crank angle at any point of the jaw actuation is produced, to maximize the force of the jaws with both jaws moving simultaneously, the yoke pushed by a driving cable and an actuation rod pushed by a handle mechanism which pushes the jaws together and a locking mechanism in a proximal control handle to hold the jaws together, each of the yoke arms further comprising a hook to hook a détente in a jaw, the yoke being pulled to pull open both jaws simultaneously.
Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98
Most of the prior art dual-action biopsy or grasping jaw sets use a central common pivot pin for both jaws that is on the center line of the jaw body. These jaws, having a centerline pivot, limit the mechanical advantage applied to the grasping or cutting or other jaw action by limiting the crank arm distance available between the pivot points. Most other jaw sets, if not directly linked to the actuation wire use link arms to connect their center pivoting jaws to the actuation drive wire or mechanism. These mechanisms lose all or most mechanical advantage as the jaws close and the links, jaws, and actuation wire all line up on centerline, just when they need to provide the most force. Essentially they progressively lose mechanical advantage as they close.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,488,296, issued Feb. 10, 2009 to Van Andel, describes a plastic disposable scissor-action biopsy or grasping tool handle that has a standard adapter tube attached to a front arm of the handle. An actuator rod attaches to the handle with the standard biopsy tool driver cable attached to the actuator rod. An actuator rod front tubular portion is slideable within the front handle arm. The actuator rod back portion has an elongated horizontal slot through it, having a stop pin through the slot attached to a pair of mating stop pin holes within an actuator rod receiving recess in the back arm of the handle. A spring interacts between an actuator rod spring stop and the rear handle arm to regulate bite pressure of the biopsy cutting tool. The back handle arm pushes the driver cable to operate the biopsy cutting tool.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,815,476, issued Mar. 28, 1989 to Clossick, shows a biopsy forceps device that comprises a handle portion an elongate flexible hollow body portion having a proximal end coupled to the handle portion and a distal end. A forceps assembly is coupled to the distal end and includes a pair of forceps. A stylet control wire in the body portion is coupled to the pair of forceps at the distal end of the body portion. A locking hub assembly is coupled between the handle portion and the proximal end of the body around the stylet/control wire and includes a locking hub and locking means for locking the stylet/control wire in an axial position thereof to the locking hub assembly relative to the body portion upon rotation of the locking hub.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,171,258, issued Dec. 15, 1992 to Bales, et al., claims double acting, dual pivot disposable laparoscopic surgical instruments. Disposable laparoscopic surgical instruments for insertion through trocar tubes are disclosed. The instruments broadly include: a hollow aluminum tube; an aluminum clevis which is formed separately from the aluminum tube with the distal end of the hollow aluminum tube crimped around the proximal end of the clevis, and with the clevis including an axially off-set pivot pin; at least one end effector element having a pivot hole through which the off-set pivot pin of the clevis is pivotally engaged, and another through-hole; an aluminum push rod extending at least partially through the hollow aluminum tube and mechanically coupled to the end effector element; and apparatus for imparting reciprocal motion to the push rod relative to the aluminum tube, whereby the reciprocal motion is translated at an offset pivot of the clevis into a high torque pivotal motion of the end effector element.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,308,358, issued May 3, 1994 to Bond, shows rigid-shaft surgical instruments that can be disassembled for improved cleaning The invention relates to single-tool surgical instruments, such as scissors or forceps which do not pass through a channel in an operating laparoscope, which contain moving actuator parts at the end of a long slender shaft comprising a tube and a yoke. The actuator is operated by means of a handle assembly, which either forces or retracts an interior rod through a hollow shaft tube. These instruments can be disassembled to remove the interior rod from inside the shaft tube. This allows improved cleaning and removal of blood or tissue residues from the interior rod and shaft tube prior to sterilization, to provide for more effective and reliable sterilization of the components. The assembly includes a union coupling near the handle which allows the shaft tube to be disengaged from the handle without rotating either the interior rod or the shaft tube. After the shaft tube has been disengaged and pulled away slightly, the shaft and actuator assembly are rotated relative to the handle assembly. This unscrews the actuator assembly from the end of the interior rod. After the interior rod disengages from the actuator assembly, the shaft and actuator are pulled away from the handle assembly and interior rod. This exposes the interior rod and provides open access to the interior of the shaft tube, so that both components can be cleaned to remove any blood or tissue residue prior to sterilization. If desired, the actuator assembly can be removed from the end of the shaft tube, by removing a pivot screw, or by installing the actuator assembly in a shaft yoke device which can be removed from the end of the shaft tube.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,263,967, issued Nov. 23, 1993 to Lyons, III, et al., is for a medical instrument including a tubular extension within which and to which two movable end effectors, such as jaw members, are rotatably attached by a pivot. The proximal end of each end effector is pivotally attached to and butts against a drive surface of its respective arm of a dual action drive member also located within the tubular extension. As the dual action drive member is moved proximally or distally within the tubular extension, the distal ends of the end effectors rotate or counter rotate about the pivot in opposition to one another. The dual action drive member paired arms have end surfaces which transfer, to the end effectors, the force required to rotate the end effectors toward one another, thereby reducing the shear force applied to pivot posts on the arms used to open the jaws. The dual action drive member may be used with a variety of different end effector devices including but not limited to medical grippers, hole punches, dissectors, extractors, scissors, and clamps.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,818,007, issued Nov. 16, 2004 to Dampney, et al., describes an effector comprising a pair of opposing jaws directly mounted on a keeper so that the jaws are pivotable about the keeper. The jaws are connected to an actuating member within the keeper, so that translational movement of the actuating member causes the jaws between an open and closed position.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,186,261, issued Mar. 6, 2007 to Prestel, provides a medical forceps with a tubular outer shank, on whose distal end there is formed a forceps jaw with two jaw parts. The two jaw parts are each rotatably mounted on the outer shank at two sides opposite one another. A tubular inner shank for actuating the jaw parts is displaceably arranged in the inside of the outer shank in its longitudinal direction. The inner shank is coupled to the two jaw parts for their actuation via two lever systems. Each of the lever systems is linked to the two jaw parts, one lever system on each of the two opposite sides
U.S. Patent Application No. 20130131544, published May 23, 2013 by Bowden, Mark A., et al., claims improved biopsy forceps which include pivotally coupled self aligning jaws with drainage holes therethrough. The biopsy forceps include a pair of jaw members that include cup shaped jaws. The biopsy forces may be formed by a series of metal etching and forming operations to allow the manufacture of the biopsy forceps using high volume manufacturing techniques.
What is needed is a push-to-close actuated, dual-action, spaced pivot, assembly for jaws, blades, and forceps devices specifically structured for use with a push rod, cable, or solid wire forceps actuator and adapted for a wide variety of types of jaws, the assembly having two interacting moving jaws for a dual jaw movement interacting jaw structure configured for actuation by a pushing force against the two separate jaws simultaneously about two separate spaced pivot fulcrum points, one for each jaw, on opposite sides of the centerline, the two pivot points being at the furthest point possible away from each other while still maintaining a strong structure, so that the push drive force is applied to a drive force point on the direct opposite side of the centerline from the fulcrum, and by positioning the pivot point fulcrum and drive force point as far away from each other as the structure allows, the maximum crank angle at any point of the jaw actuation is produced to maximize the force of the jaws with both jaws moving together to operate.